The invention relates to a shelf system for storage and filing of objects, essentially comprising at least one shelf with rectangular cross-section, at whose corner points vertical longitudinal poles are arranged, and between two front side longitudinal poles, horizontal girders or crosspieces for attaching supporting boards, provided with descending front side flaps, may be attached and the longitudinal poles have gaps for inserting vertically and horizontally distanced and descending pairs of hooks on said girders.
A large number of shelves, i.e. shelf systems, are known, whose individual components, such as longitudinal posts, lateral conductors, i.e. girders and supporting boards, are interconnected by different means of attachment. Such shelves normally feature several longitudinal posts at the shelf corner points, where, at certain vertical distances, one or more horizontal supporting boards are fixed, on which objects and/or bulk material is being stored. Additionally, it is often required to glue, weld or screw supporting boards with the longitudinal poles, and the type of fixation usually depends on the material from which the shelf has been manufactured.
It is disadvantageous with these shelves or shelf systems that contingent upon the type of connection, for example welding or gluing, these units no longer may be disassembled or adjusted to fit user requirements. As a consequence, these shelves, or shelf systems, evidence a high degree of stability, however a variation in size and number of supporting boards on the shelf, i.e. shelf system, is strongly restricted. Additionally, these shelves, or shelf systems, can only be transported with great difficulties, due to the volume required as a result of the fixed connection.
In addition, a number of connecting systems for shelves are known, where shelf components, such as supporting boards, longitudinal poles, girders, etc., may, for example, be interconnected by tongue and groove connections. In many systems, the supporting boards are simply applied on legs or pins at the girders. This procedure, however, results in a high degree of instability of the shelf system. Shelves or shelf systems, united by screws or special connecting elements, may be assembled or disassembled only with great effort, so that personnel specifically designed for this procedure face problems in assembling or disassembling. In addition, there is often a requirement for joining elements of complex format for connecting the supporting board, which are difficult to be produced from a viewpoint of technical production.
In the case of shelves or shelf systems, assembled merely based on an insertion process, these are usually screwed only with intercrossing struts, between diagonally opposed corner points on the rear side of the shelf. A longitudinal stability of the shelf is thus obtained. A certain lateral, i.e. depth stability is attained by girders which may be inserted into the longitudinal poles, and said girders compose lateral conductors with the longitudinal poles. The connection is usually made by means of screwjoints and gusset boards.
PCT/EP00/10857 describes a shelf system of the initially mentioned type, where each girder features pre-stressed insertion pockets, with an open upper section and, at the end section, a descending appendix is formed, which presents at least two vertically distanced hook-like structures. Supporting boards or insertion components of different configuration may be introduced into the storage pockets or insertion components, which are only being retained by the storage pockets in a self-clipping manner. For this purpose, the supporting boards feature high vertical front side flaps, in order to be able to insert them into the storage pockets, and the height of the front side flaps is contingent upon the depth of said storage pockets. The girder with the appendixes and storage pockets involve complex production features, resulting in high production cost figures. The high, vertical front side flaps of the supporting boards require a large amount of material, also as a result of additional folding flaps, in order to reinforce the front side flaps against buckling.
It is an object of the present invention to create a shelf system of the initially mentioned type for storage and filing of objects, which insures a high degree of stability and capacitance of the supporting boards with the girders.